The shoe is on the other foot

In a mixed week for Australia’s national teams, the men comprehensively accounted for England in the opening one-day international at the MCG, which featured the second century of opener Aaron Finch’s international career. Amazingly, it was the first by a Victorian in a home ODI.

The Southern Stars found the going a little tougher at the Waca, going down by 61 runs to England in the only Test of the Women’s Ashes series. Aside from Rene Farrell’s seven wickets for the game, Australia’s hopes rested on the shoulders of Ellyse Perry, who top-scored in both innings in addition to match figures of 8-79.

It was one of the great all-round performances in women’s Tests and when Perry was dismissed for 31 in Australia’s 185-run fourth innings chase, the contest was as good as over. England skipper Charlotte Edwards described Perry as “a world class player,” before adding: “Her batting has come on really well and we’ll have to put some plans in place to restrict her.”

The two sides now switch into one-day international mode, with the first encounter getting under way at the MCG on Sunday. The game starts at 10am local time, and will be streamed at Cricket Australia’s website if you’re not able to make it to the game. Entry is free for all. For fans of 1990s Sheffield Shield cricket, it’s worth noting that one of the officiating umpires in the game will be former Victorian batsman Shawn Craig, who joined the umpiring ranks as part of Cricket Australia’s “Project Panel” for former first-class players.

Another Cricket Show review

Speaking of Perry, the awful interview that she and Meg Lanning were subjected to by Channel Nine’s Cricket Show drew a guarded, but telling response in this interview with their Southern Stars team-mate Elyse Villani. “I don’t know if I want to say anything, because I don’t want to get in trouble,” said Villani.

Indeed.

Another farcical two-Test series

The ICC Future Tours Programme really isn’t worth the spreadsheet it’s typed on these days. News has now emerged that Australia’s upcoming away tour against Pakistan (likely to be played in the UAE) will comprise two Tests, not the three previously stated. A huge boo and many hisses for that decision.

The Big Bash numbers game

We’re brimming with restrained pride for the upswing in Big Bash TV viewership this season, the first year of free-to-air coverage, but CA’s claim that “Australians simply can’t get enough cricket” this summer probably needed a better example than the 38,068 fans who showed up at the 100,000-capacity MCG. It was a decent crowd by recent ODI standards but it makes you wonder if the Big Bash ratings have led to some indiscriminate back-slapping.

Jesse Hogan of the Age in Melbourne quotes BBL tsar Mike McKenna as claiming that increased crowd attendances (up 37% on last year on an “average” basis) and the free-to-air ratings bonanza indicate that the oft-criticised BBL schedule was, in actual fact, “definitely the way to go.” That might be putting the cart a little too far in front of the horse though, surely.

The 7 February final is still three and a half weeks away, an interminably long spell that leaves Australia’s Test selectors with little other than ODIs and T20 games as the basis for picking the last few members of Australia’s Test squad to South Africa. We all know how that can turn out.

McKenna also said that Big Bash broadcaster Ten, whose telecast couldn’t help but shine next to the slop served up this summer by Channel Nine, had “put a lot on the line in order to get the rights off Fox Sports for the Big Bash … and we also had a lot at stake.”

The first part of that statement presumably refers to the $20m annual outlay for the five-year deal rather than the network’s need to juggle reruns of NCIS to other corners of their schedule, but the second part is baffling. The CA-funded budget broadcast of the Ryobi Cup was always going to be a modest success on GEM, so did Cricket Australia really have a lot at stake in being paid a pant-load of money to have their newest format shown to an enormous captive audience on sports-starved summer nights? All cricket lovers like to see the game kicking goals on prime time TV, but that just sounds like self-mythology.

National Underage Championships

Even if you’re a fan of Australia’s oft-mentioned ‘pathways’ system of junior cricket, you’d have to say that national championships can be a bit of a lottery. This year, some familiar names, if not faces, will appear in action. Ian Healy’s ‘keeper son Tom will skipper the Queensland side. Victoria’s squad features fast-bowler Wes Agar, the younger brother of Trent Bridge Test sensation Ashton. You can keep track of their results here.

The highly-rated 17-year-old NSW batsman Jake Doran will take the confidence of his recent selection in the Chairman’s XI side against England into the U-17 carnival, and was also just announced in Australia’s squad for the upcoming U-19 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Doran takes his place beside Ben McDermott (son of Craig and brother of Alistair), and the pair were described as “skilfull stroke-makers who also provide excellent glovework as wicketkeepers,” by national talent manager Greg Chappell.

Around the grounds

We could probably just paste this in as place-setter text, but the Sydney Thunder kicked off this past week of Big Bash action with another loss, going down by 48 runs on their home turf. Brisbane’s 165 was set up by a 35-ball knock of 56 from Chris Lynn, who rained down six sixes to further ignite Lynnsanity. Dirk Nannes, who combines with Mike Hussey to provide the only modicum of respectability for the ailing franchise, chimed in with 3-21 from his four overs.

Sydney’s reply would have been amusing if it wasn’t so bleak. Usman Khawaja supplied 22 at the top but Mike Hussey’s lone hand of 60 was the only other double-figure score in an insipid display. Cameron Gannon couldn’t believe his luck, walking away with 4-10 from 2.2 overs.

Then, on Tuesday night, finally – and this should really get its own movie – the clouds of doom finally parted and the Thunder did something extraordinary. They won! Firing the Renegades out for 104 thanks to Gurinder Sandhu (3-21) and Ajantha Mendis (2-15), Usman Khawaja (46*) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (46) led the Thunder to a spirit-lifting nine wicket win and the end to their dismal 19-game, 753-day losing streak.

Player of the week

How can you look past a home-town hero? Aaron Finch may cut the approximate figure of your local club’s 2nd XI off-spinner, but he carved England’s attack to all parts of the MCG in a mature, well-paced century in the opening ODI.

Some worthwhile cricket reads from around the globe

Elsewhere Andy Wilson has the mail on the abandonment of the maligned World Test Championship concept, meaning we will be treated to another ICC Champions Trophy tournament after all. Barney Ronay takes a deep, sensible look at the mysterious case of Steven Finn, England’s misfiring and missing quick whose head now appears full of conflicting advice.

Richard Cooke took a look at one of Australian cricket’s most under-appreciated legends, the ‘female Bradman’ Betty Willson. Lastly, Cricket Australia should be commended for making available the footage of this memorial service to commemorate the life of Albert “Tibbie” Cotter, who was the only Australian international cricketer killed during the first World War.